First Reply What Am I Here To Accomplish

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian looked down as the boy began to tremble, his hand shaking as he reluctantly held the crystal out to her. He clearly didn't want to give it up, his knuckles turning an unpleasant shade of white as he fought against his own hands. There was the pathetic display she had been waiting for, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She quickly rubbed her eye with the back of her wrist, pretending to clear out a speck of floating dust to hide her reaction.

She reached down and gently pushed his hand back toward his chest, letting him keep it. She knew what it was like to find something in the dark that felt like it belonged to you, and she wasn't cold enough to strip it from his fingers now. Besides, the way the boy winced told her the Force was already punishing him enough for trying to give it away.

"Keep it, kid," Sian said, her tone softening just a fraction before she turned her eyes back toward the doorway. "It found you, not me." She scanned the dark corners of the workshop, where the shadows seemed to stretch longer as the light outside continued to fade. The damp air was getting heavier, and the distant drip of rain was no longer the only sound echoing through the lower levels.

She gestured toward the hall with a quick jerk of her chin. "Now pocket the stone and move," Sian said, stepping back into the corridor to check their flanks. It would be a problem if they were cornered down here when the shadow stalkers arrived. She had her doubts about their existence, but it prevented him from asking questions that annoyed her.
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[Starlin Dinn]

Every bone, every muscle, every piece of sinew in his body was screaming at him not to hand it over, yet the boy's moral compass won out. In the end it was proven to be little more than a test, not an intentional one on the woman's part but a test all the same, for no sooner had he offered it up on trembling hands than the woman pressed it back his way.​

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Her words echoed in his ears for a long moment. Then he blinked, and closed his hand around the yellow crystal. "Are... you sure?" Found him. It had certainly sent for him, hadn't it? And now that it was truly in his possession that nagging, incessant sound was gone. Just holding it, focusing upon it, made the boy exhale with genuine relief that went deeper than merely being told he could possess it.​

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As though the crystal itself was a calming influence, which, unbeknownst to him, it was. A slither of Kasha, a type of crystal highly prized by Cereans as a focus for meditation. In time he would come to understand its function, in time it might even make its way into a hilt of his own, but for now it was simply something to savour.​

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"Thank you."​

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He followed her gaze back to the doorway, then nodded. "Alright." Not needing to be told twice, Starlin rose up, wrapping the crystal in his unused handkerchief and setting it in his trouser pocket, before following the woman from the workshop back to the pest-infested hallway and the spiral stairwell. There was a new urgency in the air, one that did not come from orchestral scores and instead a profound sense of something being off.​

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Whether that was a sensation fabricated by the woman's over-the-shoulder glances and talks of shadow stalkers, or a genuine threat looming on the horizon, was hard to say.​

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All that Starlin knew was that he wanted to spend as little time underground as he could.​

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"So why are you here?" he asked as they moved. "What are you looking for?"​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian dismissed his question with a wave of her hand, not bothering to turn around as she walked away. She had already told him to keep the crystal, and she wasn't going to stand around debating a kid who flipped between stubbornness and tears. Wet hair was sticking to the fur on her face, making her even more irritated as she brushed it back.

"I'm looking for old supply caches," Sian lied, stepping onto the first stone of the spiral staircase. She wasn't about to admit she had come here to clear her head, and having him around wasn't helping. "Rations, spare power cells. Things that are actually useful." She kept a steady pace up the wet, mossy steps, feeling the cold air blowing down from the upper level with the smell of rain and damp stone.

Sensing Starlin Dinn was about to ask another question, Sian held up a finger without slowing down to spare herself the headache. "Save your breath for the stairs. I'm done answering questions." She reached the top landing and pushed into the larger chamber, ignoring him as he followed behind. The rain was still drumming against the collapsed roof, and Sian kept her hand on her belt, ready to get back out into the open.
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[Starlin Dinn]

"Look" the lad said, even so, as they made their way up the stairs toward that sweet, sweet fresh air, "If you want me gone just say the word, I'll find some other ruined temple to hide from the storm in." Though his words were sincere, a slight smirk pulled at his lips. The likelihood of finding another ruin was likely slim; not impossible, but slim.​

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"I get the feeling you were hoping to find this place devoid of pestering boys" he shrugged, it of course did not take a genius to figure that out.​

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He was, admittedly, still following her, but mostly because they had to go the same way to get out of here anyway.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian didn't slow her pace as Starlin Dinn voice echoed up the stairwell after her. His offer to leave sounded fake, especially with that small smirk she caught when she glanced back over her shoulder. They both knew there wasn't another roof for miles in this weather.

"You can leave whenever you want, kid," Sian said, stepping over a pile of loose stone near the exit. "Nobody's holding a blaster to your back."

She pushed out into the upper chamber, her eyes scanning the cracked stone counters along the far wall. Since she'd used supply hunting as her cover story, she figured she might as well actually look. She kicked open a rusted metal crate tucked under a fallen pillar, finding nothing inside but soggy leaves and water damage.
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[Starlin Dinn]

Starlin raised a brow.​

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"A blaster?" he asked, the word sounding foreign upon his tongue. "That another one of those shadow stalkers? Shadow blaster?"​

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While the woman kicked around old caches, Starlin stepped back toward the crack in the ceiling and stood within the slight spray of rain that made it through. Nowhere near as intense as the storm swirling outside, but enough reached him to feel refreshing.​

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He ran a hand up through his hair, then sighed in relief. If he never went down into a half-collapsed basement again in his entire life he would die happy.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian paused, turning her head to stare at him in total disbelief. She couldn't believe she had managed to stumble upon a kid so clueless he didn't even know what a blaster was. She rubbed her temples, convinced the Force was actively cursing her instead of blessing her with anything resembling good fortune.

She turned her whole body around when she saw him just standing under the rain crack, lollygagging while she did all the work. It irritated her to see him taking a refreshing bath instead of making himself useful. "It's a gun, kid," Sian said, pointing a finger toward the counters.

"Instead of standing there getting wet, start checking those cabinets for parts we can salvage. Power cells, wire, anything that isn't rotted out." She moved past him toward a second row of storage lockers, yanking at a rusted latch until the metal gave way with a harsh screech. Nothing was inside except a dead nest of moldy insulation, but she kept searching anyway just to keep her hands busy.

"And if you don't know what a power cell is either," Sian added over her shoulder, "it's the small heavy metal box that doesn't look like dirt."
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[Starlin Dinn]

That word, gun, clearly did not register with him either, but he sure as heck wasn't going to tell her that given the look of pure disgust she'd sent his way. Instead he shrugged and stepped away from the makeshift shower.​

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"You told me not to take anything" he said, quite pointedly, "Said you'd have me locked up."​

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He didn't let that stop him though, and instead he made his way to another of the storage containers in the room.​

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If the woman got too close to the flow of rain, Starlin would reach out a hand and redirect it away from her. She seemed cranky, very cranky, and he didn't need her biting his head off anymore than she already had. The act was effortless, as instinctive as breathing to him, so much so he barely even registered it as using the Force in his own mind.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian gave Starlin Dinn a death stare for trying to be smart with her. She was a Jedi peacekeeper and this was a Jedi temple, meaning salvaging these materials was well within her right to keep useful gear out of Sith hands. Even a simple power cell could hold traces of fingerprint data or DNA to track who had been lurking around the ruins, which was why she pulled a pair of heavy work gloves from her belt and slipped them onto her hands.

She noticed the air around her shift, watching the stray drops of rain veer off to the side before they could splash onto her shoulders. The kid was redirecting the water away from her with the Force without even thinking about it, which was easily the most useful thing he had done all day.

Sian let out a slow breath, trying to center herself by recalling the lines of the Jedi Code to quell her rising irritation. The boy simply had no idea how the rest of the galaxy actually worked. Was it fair to be angry at his complete ignorance? Probably not, but letting off a little steam still made her feel better.

"That rule was for looters, kid, not for peacekeepers," Sian said, with a snide tone as she pulled open another warped metal door. "Just stick to the bottom shelves and tell me if you see anything with a blinking light." Her eyes widen in surprise as she stared at a couple of dishes placed on a shelf. They were somewhat poorly made, yet they reminded her of her time living on the streets, where she had to use garbage to fashion makeshift plates.
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[Starlin Dinn]

"Oh" the boy said, focus split between rain and storage compartments, "Well, I'm not a looter," he said, "but I'm not a Peacekeeper either." Not in any official capacity, at least. "Bottom shelves. Bottom... shelves..." He crouched down and got to work pulling out old metal crates and similar bins that had been housed within cupbaords.​

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Nothing was blinking for now, which was good, and what he did find were far from useful. Old ration packs that had long since degraded, seals broken over the years by the weathering rain or perhaps the wee beasties down below.​

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"Oh, neat," the boy said, as he found a shiny little bead and held it up. Utterly insignificant, made from glass not crystal, looking almost like a marble. He held it up into the light, turning it this way and that and watching the colour shift.

Then he hastily bowed his head and carried on looking. "Sorry" he mumbled.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian shook her head at Starlin Dinn comment, annoyed by his need to point out the obvious. It was a reminder of why she had avoided taking a Padawan during her early years as a Knight. Apprentices always seemed to pester you with questions that were better answered by keeping their eyes open and watching, rather than constantly bothering her.

She watched as he held up a cheap glass marble, marveling at it like it was some grand treasure before catching himself and quickly getting back to work. Seeing him actually focus on searching was a improvement, so she left him to it and turned her attention back to the wall.

Sian closed the upper cabinet door and crouched down beside a heavy locker wedged in the far corner. Using her gloved hands, she dug through a thick pile of wet dirt and packed debris that was jamming the bottom edge, clearing space so the latch could slide free. The door creaked open, revealing a heavy metallic cylinder resting in the dark, the exact kind of power cell they were looking for.

She reached in and dragged it out into the dim light, but her brief moment of luck died fast. The casing was cracked, the internal casing corroded by moisture, and the small indicator glass on top was cold and dark. She tucked it away in a small satchel on her belt and continued her search for additional items.
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[Starlin Dinn]

Entrusting him with the task of finding something useful amidst all of this muck was not the brightest idea, given that there was a good chance Starlin might overlook something crucial... then again, given the way he had utterly marveled at a mere glass bead it was just as likely he would show her anything he found.​

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For now, though, he found... nothing.​

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As he heard her rattling around and dragging things out, he turned his head and glanced curiously at the device.​

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"Woah, that what we're looking for?" he asked, glad to have a visual reference. Starlin was always more of a visual and tactile learner, words alone did little to help him understand a thing. "Duly noted." A pause. "Erm, who are you, by the way? Like... what do I call you?"​

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Uncle Darien would have his ear for waiting so long to work introductions into a conversation.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

Sian kept digging through the lower shelf, pausing for a second to answer Starlin Dinn question. "My name isn't important right now," she said, without turning around. "If you need to call me something, Master Jedi works." Her answer was dismissive, but deep down, she wasn't taking any chances. For all she knew, this whole country-bumpkin routine was an act, and the kid was actually a spy trying to fish for information.

She shoved a cluster of rotted wires out of the way, her gloved fingers catching on a small brass coupler tucked beneath them. It was slightly oxidized around the edges, but the threading was still intact. She tossed it over her shoulder toward him, letting it clatter onto the stone floor near his feet.

"That's a coupling," Sian said, pointing down at the piece of metal with her thumb. "Look for things that shape. If you find one that isn't rusted through, don't throw it." She stood up and wiped a streak of w'et grime from her knee, scanning the rest of the ruined room. The heavy rain outside started to fade away, and she was pleased to hear it finally stop.
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[Starlin Dinn]

The lad half shrugged when she gave a title in place of a name. "Okay" he said, focusing back on the task at hand. "Well, for the record, I'm Starlin. I don't think I count as a Jedi just yet, but I'm hoping to get there. One day."​

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His hand had fallen upon something more substantial in the time between words and clattering, and even as he turned to inspect the coupling he was pulling out a dirt-covered case of some sort that had been wedged down in the very bottom of a cupboard. It looked like it was just the base of it, but a little tugging had revealed the truth.​

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Whatever the truth was, because Starlin couldn't make sense of it.​

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"Looks like a box" he said, "it's... metal?" He slid it across the floor toward her, a lockbox without any clear locking mechanism, then took up the coupling to inspect it.​

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"Got it" he replied.​

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Sian Sestoi ​

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[Sian Sestoi]

Sian picked up the metal box gently, turning it over in her gloved hands to inspect every side. The casing was entirely smooth, lacking any visible keyhole, latch, or seam to show how it opened. Finding a sealed container like this meant it held something valuable, which made her wonder why the Jedi Order had left it behind when they cleared out the temple.

She rested her thumb against her chin for a moment, deciding to check if the lock was tied to the Force. Closing her eyes, Sian reached into the ambient energy around them, letting her focus press against the cold metal and the faint echoes left by the Jedi who used to live here. A soft click echoed from inside the box as the hidden mechanism reacted to her influence.

The lid popped open to reveal a heavy metallic amulet resting on faded velvet, a Token of Resistance, designed to shield the wearer's mind from psychic intrusion. She stared down at the artifact, then looked back at the boy, who was still holding the brass coupling. She didn't particularly care for him, but leaving Starlin Dinn completely unprotected went against her own principles. "Here," Sian said, lifting the amulet from the box and holding it out toward him.
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[Starlin Dinn]

He was much too busy looking at the shape and the threading of the coupling to notice what she was doing with the box, though he did feel a sudden thrum that struck like a chord and echoed in his ears as it clicked open.​

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Starlin was moving from that first cupboard onto another, repeating the previous process of checking from top to bottom, when she grabbed his attention once more. He turned to see that she was holding out some sort of jewelry, akin to something she might see one of the natives wearing back home. The lad raised a brow, set down the coupling he was still holding, then reached out to take it.​

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"What is it, Master Jedi?" he asked, it felt physically cold on his hand but there was a certain warmth that pulsed through his blood all the same. It was nowhere near as intense as picking up the crystal had been, but it remained an interesting sensation all the same.​

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"Some sort of necklace?"​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

"It's a Token of Resistance," Sian said, watching him take the chain. "A force sensitive amulet designed to block people from intruding into your mind" She tossed the empty metal box back into the corner locker and dusted off her gloved hands. With the amulet handed over, her self-imposed duty to keep the boy from being completely defenseless was satisfied, leaving her free to focus back on getting out of here.

"Useful for someone who trusts strangers as easily as you do." Sian added, stepping toward the main archway. She tapped her belt to make sure her gear was secure, looking out past the archway where the damp ground was finally starting to settle. Now that the noise from the storm was gone, the silence in the ruined temple was uncomfortable, and she didn't intend to stick around to see what came out of the shadows next.

"We're done here," Sian said, motioning toward the exit. "Let's get out of this place before something worse decides to drop in."
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[Starlin Dinn]

His intrigue and gratitude was barely dampened by the woman's insult, instead he slipped the chain around his neck and let the talisman settle over his sternum.​

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"Well, thank you" he said, admiring the craftsmanship even as it rested in place. Was he too trusting? Perhaps, but he had known only relative peace for as long as he could remember; this Galaxy he had been thrust into was the opposite, but old habits died hard.​

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"Do I need to do something, or does it just... work?"​

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He set down the ruined coupler, careful despite its rust, and then rose up to his feet, taking a moment to dust off his knees.​

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"Oh, yeah, the storm's stopped," he remarked, as though not noticing it until that very moment. "I should get back to Pluto, can't stay mad at him forever I suppose."​

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As she made her way toward the atrium, he followed but not too closely. "Hey, you never found the thing you were looking for. I'm sorry, I wish I was better at finding things."​

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Sian Sestoi ​

 

[Sian Sestoi]

"It just works," Sian said, not slowing her pace as she moved through the archway. "Just keep it tucked under your shirt so you aren't advertising it to the whole galaxy." She stepped out into the broken atrium, her gloved hand resting near her belt while her eyes scanned the shadows between the fallen stone columns. Hearing him apologize for her empty hands almost made her snort, but she kept her eyes on the tree line visible through the shattered doorway ahead.

"Don't waste your breath," Sian said, stepping over a small group of wet stones blocking the exit. "These temples were picked clean long before you or I got here. We were lucky to find anything at all." She pushed past the final stone arch and onto the damp dirt path, taking a deep breath of the rain-cooled air as they finally left the dark, moldy interior behind. She stopped a few paces down the trail and turned back to face him.
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[Starlin Dinn]

On cue, he tucked the talisman out of sight and then nodded his head. "Okay, I'll keep it hidden. Safe. Thank you."​

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There was a slight spring in his step now that no shadow beasties had seen fit to stalk or attack them, and knowing that he would soon be back on his way toward home was exciting. This had been just what he needed, a breath of fresh, admittedly damp, air.​

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"How do you apologize to a droid? I mean, like... is there something you can get them to make up for being grumpy with them?" He tilted his head a little to the left. "I'll say I'm sorry and all that, of course, but..." He hummed. "Maybe I'll just ask Lyra. Sorry; I've taken up enough of your time, haven't I?"​

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Picked clean, yet here he was two artifacts heavier than before.​

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When she turned toward him he instinctively took half a step back. She still had that leave me the kriff alone presence, and staring her down didn't seem wise.​

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"I appreciate you, for what it's worth. For not burning me with that burny-stick, or leaving me down in that scary basement. I hope you do find what you're looking for."​

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He looked from her off into the distance, back the way he had come. His jellyship would be out there somewhere waiting, he just had to remember the route he had taken to get here.​

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Sian Sestoi ​